HONG KONG, Nov 19 (Reuters) - China is looking to buy at least another 10U.S. soy cargoes for shipment early next year, with logistic problemshampering delivery of domestic oilseed from the north, traders said onTuesday."Maybe last week and this week five cargoes got traded, but franklythere are still queries for more than 10 cargoes still in the market,"said a trader at an international house."Now the interest is concentrated on January, February and March. Forthe new crop from South America, I think, most people are pretty muchcovered."So far, the traders said, China had booked 10-15 U.S. cargoes forJanuary, February and March shipment, excluding those purchased by largejoint ventures involving Singapore-based Wilmar Trading Co. Ltd.The latest deals on four to five cargoes were seen done at premiumsaround 115 U.S. cents per bushel on the Chicago March contract before theymoved up towards 120 cents.From South America, China had already secured about 50 cargoes formostly April, May and June shipment, with latest deals done at premiumsabove 60 cents, up sharply from around 40 cents for the first deals signedin September and October.

GMO OPTIMISM SPREADSMany traders are now confident that the Ministry of Agriculture willissue towards the end of November new sets of temporary safetycertificates required for the importation of genetically-modified (GM)crops arriving after December 20.They have successfully filed the application for importing soybeansfrom the United States and Argentina ahead of a meeting this Fridayorganised by the ministry to explain details of the regulations on tradein GM crops.The traders were also hopeful that Brazil would hammer out an agreementwith China, paving the way for smooth soy trade with Brazil, the world'ssecond largest producer of soybeans and which does not officially permitgrowing GM soybeans."Personally I don't think it will be a big issue," said another traderbased in Shanghai. "Otherwise they would change the whole structure ofpremiums: Brazilian beans would be cheaper. U.S. and Argentine premiumswould be firm."An official at the Brazilian embassy in Beijing said he expected amission in December to discuss soy trade with the Chinese government. Theywere initially scheduled for this week.

LOGISTICS PROBLEMS REMAINTraders said China might need even more U.S. soy cargoes for early nextyear if crushers in northern China and Shandong province revert to moreforeign oilseed, instead of domestic beans which they were still trying toacquire at present.They have faced difficulties in getting enough domestic beans despite alarge crop of some 17 million tonnes, due to railway congestion andconstruction works. Some buyers were now using trucks to transportdomestic soy out of the north."Capacity is limited. There is a logistical bottleneck," said a thirdtrader based in Beijing. Crushers in the north and Shandong provincerecently bought some U.S. and South American cargoes, while continuingefforts to get hold of domestic beans, traders said.Asked about oil imports, they said that though many cargoes werearriving from South America, importers were holding back the soy oil dueto high import costs of some 6,000 yuan per tonne, compared with currentdomestic prices of about 5,400 yuan.